Method and apparatus for equalizing phase currents in multiphase switching power converters

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for equalizing phase currents in multiphase switching power converters is described in which pairs of stored digital values that directly or indirectly control the values of the currents in the conversion phases are altered in equal and opposite increments. In one embodiment the digital values being controlled are the relative on-times of the power switches in pairs of conversion phase. The method is stepwise and repetitive in the sense that, instead of calculating or inferring offset values that seek to bring all of the currents in the phases toward equality, pairs of phase currents are altered repetitively and iteratively, using equal and opposite steps in the values of their respective control variables, until the phases are all sufficiently close in value. The steps may be of fixed size or the step size may be selectively modified to optimize the convergence time of the algorithm.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to equalizing of phase currentsin multiphase switching power converters. More particularly, the presentinvention relates to digital means for equalizing phase currents inmultiphase switching power converters.

BACKGROUND

Multiphase switching power converters (“multiphase converters”) comprisea plurality of switching power conversion phases that are controlled tooperate in a parallel, interleaved, fashion, enabling delivery of highcurrent at low output voltage with low output voltage ripple. In suchconverters, output voltage ripple may be reduced by closely matching theaverage phase currents; power density also improves with improvedcurrent sharing among phases because the phases may all be operated at,or close to, their maximum power rating without risk of inductorsaturation.

Multiphase switching power converters and prior art apparatus andmethods for enforcing current sharing among phases in multiphaseconverters are described in Abu-Qahouq et al, “Novel Control Method forMultiphase Low-Voltage High-Current Fast-Transient VRMs,” PESC 2002,Volume 4, pp. 1576-1581: Brooks et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,571, Sep. 4,2001, “Method and Apparatus for an Efficient Multiphase SwitchingRegulator”; Farrenkopf, U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,460, Feb. 4, 2003,“Multiphase Switching Regulator Control Architecture for Low On TimeSystems that Enforces Current Sharing”; and in Yang and Guo, U.S. Pat.No. 6,404,175, Jun. 11, 2002, “Multi-Phase and Multi-Module PowerSupplies With Balanced Current Between Phases and Modules.”

SUMMARY

Conventional multiphase voltage converter circuits suffer from a numberof deficiencies. For example, each of multiple phases in a conventionalmultiphase converter circuit typically has different circuitcharacteristics due to variations in the electronic components that makeup a respective phase of the power converter circuit. Thus, duringoperation, different power converter phase circuits in a multiphasecircuit can deliver different amounts of current to a respective loadeven when each of the phases is driven with the same switch duty cycle(e.g., the same pulse width modulation switch control signal).

Techniques discussed herein deviate with respect to conventionalapplications such as those discussed above as well as other techniquesknown in the prior art. For example, certain embodiments herein aredirected to improving current sharing in a multiphase power convertercircuit so that an amount of current delivered by each phase to arespective load is more equal.

More specifically, embodiments herein include a system, apparatus,method, etc. to monitor an amount of current that each of multiple powerconverter phases delivers to a load. Based on monitoring the amount ofcurrent, a controller selects a pair of power converter phases from themultiple power converter phases. As an example of selecting, thecontroller can select, from the multiple power converter phases, a firstpower converter phase to be included in the pair in response todetecting that the first power converter phase delivers a lowest amountof current to the load amongst the multiple power converter phases. Thecontroller can select, from the multi power converter phases, a secondpower converter phase for inclusion in the pair in response to detectingthat the second power converter phase delivers a highest amount ofcurrent to the load amongst the multiple power converter phases.

As an alternative to selecting phases providing minimum and maximumcurrent to the load, note that the controller can use other criteria toselect which phases will be included in the pair of phases whose outputcurrent will be modified.

After selecting a pair of phases (e.g., a group of multiple phases) foradjustment, the controller modifies a digital variable associated withthe first power converter phase (of the selected pair of power converterphases) to decrease an amount of current delivered by the first powerconverter phase to the load. The controller also modifies a digitalvariable associated with a second power converter phase (of the selectedpair of power converter phases) to increase an amount of currentdelivered by the first power converter phase to the load.

In one embodiment, modifying the digital variable associated with thefirst power converter phase reduces the amount of current delivered bythe first power converter phase by an amount substantially equal to anamount of additional current provided by the second power converterphase as a result of modifying the digital variable associated with thesecond power converter phase. Accordingly, the effect of decrementingthe digital variable associated with the first power converter phase(and reducing a respective amount of phase current provided to the loadby the first power converter phase) can cancel out the effect ofincrementing the digital variable associated with the second powerconverter phase (and increasing a respective amount of phase currentprovided to the load by the second power converter phase).

As described herein, the process of monitoring (e.g., sampling) andadjusting the phases can be repeated over time to enhance currentsharing amongst the phases. For example, an amount of current deliveredto a respective load by each of multiple phases may initially varygreatly depending on circuit parameters. Embodiments herein can includerepeatedly modifying (over successive measurement cycles) amounts ofcurrent delivered by each phase to the load to be more equal with eachother so that the burden of providing current to a load is more equallyshared.

As discussed above, techniques herein are well suited for use inmultiphase switching power supply converter circuitry. However, itshould be noted that embodiments herein are not limited to use in suchapplications and that the techniques discussed herein are well suitedfor other applications as well.

Note also that each of the different features, techniques,configurations, etc. discussed herein can be executed independently orin combination with any or all other features also described herein.Accordingly, the present invention can be embodied, viewed, and claimedin many different ways.

This summary section does not specify every embodiment and/orincrementally novel aspect of the present disclosure or claimedinvention. Instead, this summary only provides a preliminary discussionof different embodiments and corresponding points of novelty overconventional techniques. For additional details and/or possibleperspectives (permutations) of the invention, the reader is directed tothe Detailed Description section and corresponding figures of thepresent disclosure as further discussed below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following more particulardescription of preferred embodiments herein, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to thesame parts throughout the different views. The drawings are notnecessarily to scale, with emphasis instead being placed uponillustrating the embodiments, principles and concepts.

FIG. 1 shows a partial schematic of a multiphase power converteraccording to embodiments herein.

FIG. 2 shows a block schematic diagram of a portion of a multiphasecontroller, comprising apparatus for equalizing the average values ofthe currents delivered by the phases, according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 3 is a logic flow diagram of an algorithm for equalizing phasecurrents in a multiphase controller, according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram illustrating operation of the algorithm ofFIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a partial schematic of a multiphase power converter 100.The converter 100 receives power from an input voltage source, V_(in),and delivers power to a load 101 at a load voltage V_(o) and a loadcurrent I_(L). The load may be bypassed by filter capacitance 103. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, the total average current delivered to the load,I_(L), by the multiphase converter is the sum of the average phasecurrents, I₁, I₂, I₃ . . . I_(n).

The multiphase converter 100 comprises a total of n conversion phases102-1 . . . 102-n, where n is greater than one. Conversion Phase 1 102-1is shown in the figure to be a conventional buck switching powerconverter comprising a power switch 104-1, synchronous switch 106-1,inductor 110-1 and switch driver circuit 108-1. All of the remainingphases 102-2, 102-3 . . . 102-n are essentially identical to phase 1. Itis understood that the use of the buck conversion topology in FIG. 1 isfor illustrative purposes and that the conversion phases may be any of awide variety of isolated and non-isolated power conversion topologies.

A multiphase controller 120 sends signals PWM1 118-1, PWM2 118-2, PWM3118-3 . . . PWMn 118-n to the driver circuits 108-1 . . . 108-n in theconversion phases. The PWM signals control the durations of the on andoff times of the switches in the phases 102-1 . . . 102-n as a means ofregulating the converter output voltage, V_(o), to a pre-determinedvalue. In general, when signal PWMx is enabled by controller 120, thepower switch 104-x in conversion phase 102-x will be turned on andsynchronous switch 106-x will be turned off; when signal PWMx isdisabled by controller 120, the power switch 104-x will be turned offand synchronous switch 106-x will be turned on. Although each PWM signalis shown to consist of a single signal line, it is understood that a PWMsignal may actually consist of several signal lines: e.g. a signal lineto control the state of the power switch; a signal line to control thestate of the synchronous switch; a signal line to disable both switches.In steady-state operation, the multiphase controller 120 interleaves theon times of the power switches 104-1 . . . 104-n within each converteroperating cycle and controls the phase shift between the on times of theswitches to be essentially equal.

As also shown in FIG. 1, each phase comprises a current sense circuit112-1 . . . 112-n for delivering a current sense signal, indicative ofthe magnitude of the current flowing in the phase inductor 110-1 . . .110-n, to controller 120. In the figure, each current sense signalappears as the difference in voltage between its differential sense andreturn signal lines (e.g., sense signal line Isen1 114-1 and returnsignal line Iret1 116-1 for phase 1; sense signal line Isen2 114-2 andreturn signal line Iret2 116-2 for phase 2). Although inductor DCRcurrent sensing circuits 112-1 . . . 112-n (see, e.g., Huang et al,“Inductors Allow Loss-Less Current Sensing in Multiphase DC-DCConverters,” PCIM Magazine, June 2001, pp. 58-67) are shown in FIG. 1,it is understood that they are illustrative and that other means ofcurrent sensing may be used.

It is desirable that the average values of the phase currents I₁ . . .I_(n) be equal, as this may minimize the converter output ripple andmaximize the power density of the converter 100. In an ideal converter,with all components in each phase being ideal and perfectly matched, andthe duty cycles of all of the switches also being equal and perfectlymatched, the average currents delivered by each phase will also beequal. In practice, components are not ideal and switches and switchdrivers have rise and fall times that are finite and variable; these andother environmental and physical effects alter the relative values ofthe currents delivered by each phase. Furthermore, the PWM pulse widthof a selected phase, or selected phases, may be altered in response toload current transients, resulting in phase current imbalances. It istherefore desirable to take steps to enforce essentially equal currentsharing among the phases.

FIG. 2 shows a block schematic diagram of a portion of the multiphasecontroller 120 of FIG. 1, comprising apparatus for equalizing theaverage values of the currents delivered by the phases. In the figure,an output voltage controller 228 delivers a nominal pulse width value,PWM_(o), to a pulse width register 218 in PWM controller 214. The PWMcontroller 214 also comprises a pulse width adjustment apparatus 216-1 .. . 216-n for each conversion phase 102-1 . . . 102-n. Each pulse widthadjustment apparatus comprises an Inc/Dec register 220-1 . . . 220-nthat receives a respective PWM pulse width adjustment value, D₁ . . .D_(n), from phase current equalization apparatus 212 (described below).The values D₁ . . . D_(n) are added or subtracted from PWM_(o) to set anadjusted pulse width value in PWM Counters 222-1 . . . 222-n. Asdescribed below, by appropriate adjustment of D₁ . . . D_(n), the pulsewidths PWM₁ . . . PWM_(n) 118-1 . . . 118-n delivered to the phases maybe individually altered to balance the relative values of the averagecurrents in each phase toward equality.

In FIG. 2, phase current digitizing circuitry comprises differenceamplifier-buffers 200-1 . . . 200-n; analog multiplexer 202; A/Dconverter 204; and digital demultiplexer 206. Current sense signals fromeach phase are delivered to the inputs of difference amplifier-buffers200-1 . . . 200-n via sense signal lines 114-1 . . . 114-n and returnsignal lines 116-1 . . . 116-n, previously described. During eachconverter operating cycle, of duration T, the analog multiplexer takes asample of the current in each phase, with essentially equal time delaybetween samples (i.e., delay=T/n). For example, each phase sample may betaken just before its respective power switch is turned on, or a samplemay be taken after a fixed delay has elapsed following the turning offof a phase switch. In this way, each of the samples is taken underapproximately the same instantaneous operating conditions within itsrespective phase. The analog sample from a selected phase is deliveredby the multiplexer to the input of the A/D converter 204; the digitizedoutput signal from the A/D converter is passed to the input of thedigital demultiplexer 206. The address lines of the multiplexer anddemultiplexer 203, 207 are synchronized so that the digitized value ofthe sampled current from phase 1 is delivered as a first digital output209-1 from the demultiplexer; the digitized value of the sampled currentfrom phase 2 is delivered as a second digital output 209-2 from thedemultiplexer; and so on. Each digital phase current output 209-1 . . .209-n is delivered to a respective low pass filter (“LPF”) 208-1 . . .208-n, whose bandwidth is set to be substantially lower (e.g., typicallymore than an order of magnitude lower) than operating frequency,f_(o)=1/T, of the converter. The averaged, digitized values of the phasecurrents, I_(D1) . . . I_(Dn), are sent to phase current equalizationapparatus 212.

With reference to the logic flow diagram of FIG. 3, the phase currentequalization apparatus adjusts the pulse width of the PWM signals in astepwise and repetitive fashion as a means of equalizing the averagecurrents delivered by each phase, in accordance with the followingalgorithm:

1. The phases with the minimum average phase current, I_(MIN), andmaximum average phase current, I_(MAX), are identified; the average ofall of the average phase currents, I_(AVG), is computed; and I_(MIN),I_(MAX) and I_(AVG) are stored (step 302).

2. If I_(AVG) is less than a pre-determined disable threshold, I_(DIS),no adjustments are made (step 304). This avoids introducing errors inequalizing owing to possible inaccuracies in phase current measurementsat low currents. The pre-determined threshold may be a programmablevalue.

3. If I_(AVG) is above I_(DIS), the algorithm may first determinewhether the difference between the maximum average phase current,I_(MAX), and the minimum average phase current, I_(MIN), is below aminimum phase current error threshold, I_(PT) (step 306). If thedifference is below I_(PT), no adjustments are made. If the differenceis greater than I_(PT), the PWM counter of the phase with the lowestcurrent is incremented by an amount, D, and the PWM counter of the phasewith the highest current is decremented by the same amount, D (step308). Since the increment in one of the phase currents is the same asthe decrement in the other, the sum of the two currents will beapproximately unchanged, as will the load current (any small differencebeing compensated for by the voltage control loop). The amount, D, bywhich the PWM counters are incremented and decremented in step 308 maybe a fixed value (e.g., 1 count, 5 counts) or it may be a value that iscalculated (e.g., based upon the difference between I_(MAX) and I_(MIN);based upon the value of I_(AVG)).

4. The pulse width increments and decrements for each phase, D₁ . . .D_(n), are accumulated in a respective Inc/Dec register. If thedifference between the maximum and minimum values stored in the Inc/Decregisters, D_(MAX) and D_(MIN), is greater than an error threshold,E_(D), or if one of the Inc/Dec registers is saturated (reaches fullscale) one or more error flags may be set (steps 310-314). Either ofthese conditions may be indicative of a problem with the converter andthe respective error flag may be used to signal a fault condition and/orshut down the converter. An error flag may also be used to identify aphase that cannot be equalized so that the system may disable only thatphase and continue to operate (with reduced capability).

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram illustrating operation of the algorithm ofFIG. 3 for a converter comprising four conversion phases. In FIG. 4,both the PWM Counter and (filtered) Phase Current values (e.g., Id1-Id4,FIG. 2) for each of the four phases are plotted as a function of time.During a first time interval, To, each PWM Counter starts off with avalue of 1000, corresponding to equal switch timing signals being sentto each conversion phase. As shown in FIG. 4, these initially equalvalues in the PWM Counters result in unbalanced Phase Currents that varyfrom a minimum value of 8.7 Amperes (Phase #4) to a maximum of 11.2Amperes (Phase #1), the total delivered current (i.e., the sum of allthe Phase currents) being equal to 40 Amperes. In the example thatfollows we assume: (1) that the increment/decrement amount, D, is equalto 30 and that. for these particular converter operating conditions, avalue of D=30 results in a nominal change in phase current equal to 0.3Amperes; (2) that the minimum phase current error threshold, I_(PT)(step 306), is equal to 0.3 Amperes; (3) that step 304 in FIG. 3 is nottrue (i.e., that the average value of the total current delivered by allof the phases is not less than a threshold value, I_(DIS)); and (4) thatthe error condition in step 310 in FIG. 4 is not true (i.e., that thedivergence between Inc/Dec Registers never exceeds an error threshold,E_(D)).

As illustrated in FIG. 4, each filtered Phase Current is sampled andstored (step 302, FIG. 3) during time interval To and the minimum andmaximum values of the filtered Phase Currents are determined (themaximum and minimum phase current values are marked with and asterisk inFIG. 4). During time interval To, Phase Current #1 is the maximumcurrent (11.2 Amperes) and Phase Current #2 is the minimum Phase Current(8.7 Amperes). Processing the Phase Current values through Step 308 ofFIG. 3 results in PWM Counter #1 being incremented by D=30 and PWMCounter #4 being decremented by D=30 resulting. As a result, during thenext interval T1, Phase Current #1 declines by 0.3 Ampere, and PhaseCurrent #4 increases by 0.3 Ampere. The algorithm is processed againduring time interval T1, resulting, once again, in PWM Counter #1 beingdecremented and PWM Counter #2 being incremented, with the resultsappearing in the next time interval T2. This process continuesthroughout time periods T3, T4 and T5. During time period T5, thedifference between the maximum and minimum Phase Currents has beenreduced to 0.1 Ampere, which is below the minimum phase current errorthreshold, I_(PT)=0.3 Ampere. As a result, the test at step 306 (FIG. 3)is true and incrementing and decrementing of PWM counters is suspended(until some later time when the test at step 306 is no longer true).

It is understood that the preceding example is idealized and forillustrative purposes and that in a practical power converter: (1) aparticular increment or decrement, D, in a value contained in a PWMCounter, may not result in equal changes in phase currents in differentphases; and (2) The change in a phase current in a particular phase maynot be proportional to a change in the value in its PWM counter. FIG. 4also shows a change in a PWM Counter value during a time interval beingfully reflected as a change in a corresponding Phase Current during thesame time interval. It is understood that is for illustration and thatin a practical converter there may be a time delay between a change in aPWM Counter and the full effect of the change on its corresponding PhaseCurrent.

In general, the algorithm comprises altering, in equal and oppositeincrements (e.g., digital steps), pairs of stored digital values thatdirectly or indirectly affect the values of the currents in the phases.In the example above, the digital values being controlled are therelative on-times of the power switches in the conversion phases. Othercontrol variables may be selected, however, depending on the topology ofthe conversion phases and the specific embodiment of the controller andits means of interfacing to the phases. The algorithm is stepwise andrepetitive in the sense that, instead of calculating or inferring offsetvalues that seek to bring all of the currents in the phases towardequality, pairs of phase currents are altered repetitively anditeratively, using equal and opposite increments in the values of theirrespective control variables, until the phases are all sufficientlyclose in value. The increments may be of fixed size or the size of theincrement may be selectively modified to optimize the convergence timeof the algorithm.

The flow diagram of FIG. 3 is meant to be explanatory and illustrative,but is not meant to imply temporal relationships between logicalprocesses or process steps, imply that the processes are performedindependently of other processes (e.g., the output voltage controlprocess) or in any particular order relative to any other process. Asdescribed herein some or all of both the portion of the multiphasecontroller shown in FIG. 2 and the phase equalizing algorithm of FIG. 3may be implemented as hardware or as software code and/or logicalinstructions that are processed by a digital processor or other means,or a combination of both. The logical processes may run concurrently orsequentially with respect to each other or with respect to otherprocesses, such as measurement processes, voltage regulation processesand related calculations. Controllers may be implemented in mixed-signalcircuitry; in circuitry comprising mixed-signal circuitry comprising adigital processor core; or in circuitry comprising a combination ofmixed-signal circuitry and a separate digital signal processor. They maybe implemented as an integrated circuit or a hybrid device. There mayalso be additional steps associated with the phase equalizing algorithm.Pre-determined values, such as the disable threshold and the minimumphase current error threshold, may be stored in read-only orre-programmable non-volatile memory.

The phase equalizing apparatus and algorithm for multiphase convertersis simple, requires low gate count and, in integrated circuit form,relatively little silicon area. Since the algorithm is performeddigitally, it does not introduce any additional error other thanquantization errors which may be kept small. The approach mayincorporate built in fault monitoring for reporting if an imbalancebetween phase currents exceeds (programmable) thresholds. The approachis flexible, because different power converter applications may beaddressed by changing register values in an on-chip memory. Also, sincethe approach looks at relative values of phase currents, and does notcompare the phase currents to some computed or inferred “target”current, it is immune to the offset in the A/D converter 204.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described withreferences to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may bemade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentapplication as defined by the appended claims. Such variations areintended to be covered by the scope of this present application. Assuch, the foregoing description of embodiments of the presentapplication is not intended to be limiting. Rather, any limitations tothe invention are presented in the following claims.

1. A multiphase switching power converter comprising: a group includingat least three switching power conversion phases that are activated toprovide current to a load, each power conversion phase in the groupdelivering a portion of the current delivered to the load, each powerconversion phase in the group having a respective digital controlvariable for altering current delivered by a respective phase to theload, and a phase current equalization apparatus configured to: whilecontrolling at least one power converter phase in the group to deliver asame amount of current to the load as delivered in a previous phasecontrol cycle, alter, via opposite adjustments, digital controlvariables associated with each of a first power converter phase and asecond power converter phase in the group to adjust a magnitude ofcurrent delivered to the load by each of the first power converter phaseand the second power converter phase toward equality; the phase currentequalization apparatus suspending altering of the digital controlvariables if a difference between the maximum and the minimum current isbelow a predetermined threshold.
 2. The multiphase switching powerconverter of claim 1 in which a value of a respective digital controlvariable is indicative of an on-time of a switch in a respective powerconversion phase.
 3. The multiphase switching power converter of claim1, wherein the first power converter phase delivers a lowest amount ofcurrent to the load amongst multiple power converter phases in the groupthat deliver current to the load; and wherein the second power converterphase delivers a highest amount of current to the load amongst themultiple power converter phases in the group that deliver current to theload.
 4. The multiphase switching power converter of claim 1, whereinthe phase current equalization apparatus is configured to alter thedigital control variables over multiple phase control cycles.
 5. Themultiphase switching power converter of claim 1 in which the values ofthe currents are average values.
 6. A multiphase switching powerconverter comprising: a group including at least three switching powerconversion phases that are activated to provide current to a load, eachpower conversion phase in the group delivering a portion of the currentdelivered to the load, each power conversion phase in the group having arespective digital control variable for altering current delivered by arespective phase to the load, and a phase current equalization apparatusconfigured to: while controlling at least one power converter phase inthe group to deliver a same amount of current to the load as deliveredin a previous phase control cycle, alter, via opposite adjustments,digital control variables associated with each of a first powerconverter phase and a second power converter phase in the group toadjust a magnitude of current delivered to the load by each of the firstpower converter phase and the second power converter phase towardequality; the multiphase switching power converter including acontroller, the controller being a voltage controller for controllingthe output voltage of the multiphase switching power converter, whereinthe phase current equalization apparatus alters the digital controlvariables by storing digital offsets for each phase and adjusting anominal pulse width modulation control value using the digital offsets.7. The multiphase switching power converter of claim 2 wherein a powerconversion phase is a buck switching power converter.
 8. The multiphaseswitching power converter of claim 1 in which the phase currentequalization apparatus is configured to suspend altering of the digitalcontrol variables if the average current delivered to the load is belowa predetermined threshold.
 9. The multiphase switching power converterof claim 6 in which the phase current equalization apparatus isconfigured to set an error flag if a difference between a largest andsmallest of the digital offsets is below a predetermined threshold. 10.The multiphase switching power converter of claim 6 in which the phasecurrent equalization apparatus is configured to set an error flag if atleast one of the digital offsets is above a predetermined threshold. 11.The multiphase switching power converter of claim 6 in which the offsetsare altered by the opposite increments.
 12. A method for controllingcurrents provided by multiple power converter phases towards equality,the method comprising: selecting, amongst the multiple power converterphases, a pair of power converter phases to be adjusted; altering, viaopposite adjustments, stored digital variables, the stored digitalvariables controlling magnitudes of current provided to a load by theselected pair of power converter phases; wherein altering the storeddigital variables includes: adjusting a digital variable associated witha first power converter phase in the selected pair to increase, by agiven amount, current supplied by the first power converter phase topower the load; and adjusting a digital variable associated with asecond power converter phase in the selected pair to reduce, by thegiven amount, current supplied by the second power converter phase tothe load.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of alteringcomprises: repetitively identifying, among a group of power converterphases, a given pair of phases that deliver minimum and maximum phasecurrents to the load; and altering values of the stored digitalvariables associated with the given pair of power converter phases tobalance current provided to the load by each power converter phase inthe pair.
 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: incrementing astored digital value that controls current in a power converter phasedelivering the minimum phase current to the load.
 15. The method ofclaim 12 further comprising: controlling a magnitude of output current,as supplied to the load by a third power converter phase, to beunchanged while adjusting the current supplied by the first powerconverter phase and adjusting the current supplied by the second powerconverter phase.
 16. The method of claim 12 in which the step ofaltering stored digital variables comprises altering a digital valuethat is indicative of an on-time of a switch in a power conversionphase.
 17. A method comprising: monitoring a magnitude of current thateach of multiple power converter phases delivers to a load; from themultiple power converter phases, selecting a pair of power converterphases that deliver unequal amounts of current to the load, the selectedpair of power converter phases including a first power converter phaseand a second power converter phase, the first power converter phasedelivering more current to the load than and the second power converterphase; for the selected pair of power converter phases, adjustingcurrents delivered by the first power converter phase and the secondpower converter phase towards equality including: modifying a digitalvariable associated with a first power converter phase of the selectedpair of power converter phases to decrease an amount of currentdelivered by the first power converter phase to the load; and modifyinga digital variable associated with a second power converter phase of theselected pair of power converter phases to increase an amount of currentdelivered by the first power converter phase to the load.
 18. A methodas in claim 17, wherein selecting the pair of power converter phasesincludes: selecting the first power converter phase in response todetecting that the first power converter phase delivers a highest amountof current to the load amongst the multiple power converter phases; andselecting the second power converter phase for inclusion in the pair inresponse to detecting that the second power converter phase delivers alowest amount of current to the load amongst the multiple powerconverter phases.
 19. A method as in claim 18, wherein modifying thedigital variable associated with the first power converter phase reducesthe amount of current delivered by the first power converter phase by anamount substantially equal to an amount of additional current providedby the second power converter phase as a result of modifying the digitalvariable associated with the second power converter phase.
 20. Themethod as in claim 17 further comprising: in a first phase control cyclein a sequence of multiple phase control cycles in which the multiplepower converter phases deliver the current to the load: controlling thefirst power converter phase to deliver current to the load according toa first setting; controlling the second power converter phase to delivercurrent to the load according to a second setting; controlling a thirdpower converter phase of the multiple power converter phases to delivercurrent to the load according to a third setting; in a second phasecontrol cycle in the sequence following the first phase control cycle:decreasing a magnitude of current delivered by the first power converterphase to the load; increasing a magnitude of current delivered by thesecond power converter phase to the load; and controlling the thirdpower converter phase of the multiple power converter phases to supply asame amount of current as delivered by the third power converter phasein the first phase control cycle.
 21. The method as in claim 20 furthercomprising: in a third phase control cycle in the sequence following thesecond phase control cycle: increasing the magnitude of currentdelivered by the second power converter phase to the load; decreasing amagnitude current delivered by the third power converter phase to theload; and controlling the second power converter phase of the multiplepower converter phases to supply a same magnitude of current to the loadas was delivered by the second power converter phase in the second phasecontrol cycle.
 22. A method comprising: based on a magnitude of currentthat each of multiple power converter phases delivers to a load,selecting a pair of power converter phases from the multiple powerconverter phases for being adjusted; for the selected pair of powerconverter phases: modifying a digital variable associated with a firstpower converter phase of the selected pair of power converter phases todecrease an amount of current delivered by the first power converterphase to the load; and modifying a digital variable associated with asecond power converter phase of the selected pair of power converterphases to increase an amount of current delivered by the first powerconverter phase to the load; the method further comprising: generating avalue indicative of a difference in current delivered to the load by thefirst power converter phase and the second power converter phase;comparing the value to a threshold value; wherein modifying the digitalvariable associated with the first power converter phase reduces anamount of current delivered by the first power converter phase to theload; and wherein modifying the digital variable associated with thesecond power converter phase increases an amount of current delivered bythe first power converter phase to the load.
 23. The method as in claim1, wherein the opposite adjustments are substantially equal and oppositeadjustments that: increase current delivered to the load by the firstpower converter phase by a given amount; and decrease current deliveredto the load by the second power converter phase by the given amount.